A Le French May 2008 opera program directed by Jérôme Savary. With Marie-Stéphane Bernard as La Périchole, Marc Laho as Piquillo, Chorus of the Opera Society of Hong Kong, Ariele Zanini, piano, and The Hong Kong Sinfonietta conducted by Jérôme Pillement. Performed in French with English and Chinese subtitles.

Date: 15-17 May 2008 (Thurs-Sat)
Time: 8:00 pm
Venue: Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Tickets: $620 $480 $320 $190, available in all URBTIX outlets

The Opera Society of Hong Kong 15th Anniversary Concert
Die Schöpfung (The Creation)
by Joseph Haydn
(to be sung in German)

Date: Tuesday, 20 November 2007
Time:  8 pm
Venue: Concert Hall, City Hall, Hong Kong

Soloists:
Anna-Clare Monk (Soprano)
Sam Kan (Tenor)
Kewei Wang (Baritone)

Chorus and Orchestra of The Opera Society of Hong Kong 
Conducted by Raymond Fu

See CONCERT POSTER for more details and ticket information.  Click here for soloist and conductor biographies on concert flyer.

Concert Sponsorship Acknowledgements:

Darizi.com 
Lloyd Morgan
The Smile foundation
Y5 Zone
Eastern District Children's Choir
The Learners Chorus
Opera Hong Kong
Maplewood Education Services
Crystal Education Publlications
Hong Kong Handbell Academy
Chez Les Copains
Premier Music
Mei Fong Studio

(Our 15th Anniversary Concert is presented under the rental subsidy scheme of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department. Support by the Hong Kong Arts Development Council and the St. John's Cathedral, Hong Kong, are also acknowledged.)

Audience from Afar

8 May 2008 - Our 15th Anniversary Concert reaches a global audience through YouTube, where we uploaded excerpts of our performance. Here's a message from Will Wyche of Palm Springs, California sent in to our website directly:

I [am] recovering from a long illness and while surfing the net stumbled on your November 2007 performance of Die Schöpfung, specifically Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes. Under the circumstances in the early dawn in Palm Springs, it made the breaking sun truly explode and my heart leap! Not having been filled with so much wellness in years--and to view the video with such cosmopolitan mixture of faces of humanity in perfect tonal, dynamic, and rhythmic forte, your performance was created [in] a structural unity and musical strength that was just gloriously overpowering! (even on YouTube!) ... Well, Opera Society of Hong Kong, you have no idea your reach to places and states of being--both good and ill--that is truly infinite! I throw garlands of accolades at your feet! For you are HEALERS WHICH THIS WORLD NEEDS SO TIMELY! Indeed, BROADCAST IT! THE WORLD PUBLIC WILL SOMEDAY THANK YOU SO MUCH as I certainly do!!!

Thank you for your message, Will. We are most happy to have our singing reach out beyond our concert performance. Your message is not just an endorsement of our hard work; it's a most convincing statement of the power of music on both listeners and performers alike.... Those of us who share Haydn's faith, and that of yours, will have one more reason to hail ALLELUIA.... We wish you and your dearest brother Michael happiness, good health and many more elating moments in music.

Now on YouTube

Hear the Opera Society of Hong Kong sing Haydn's Die Schöpfung on YouTube:
Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes
Vollender ist das grosse Werk
Von deiner Güt', o Herr und Gott

3 May 2007 (Thursday) at 8:00 pm
St. John's Cathedral, Garden Road, Central
Chorus of the Opera Society of Hong Kong
Guest soloists Katusha Tsui-Fraser, Soprano, and David Quah, Tenor
Chamber Orchestra of the Opera Society of Hong Kong
Conductor: Raymond Fu

Concert Reception with snacks and drinks served at Li Hall, 7:15 pm.

Co-organized with Rotary Club of Kingspark Hong Kong and Rotary Club of City Northwest Hong Kong.

Support of this charity concert through sponsorship of the Rotary RainLily Project - with objectives to educate awareness on sexual violence issues and to enhance the awareness of the services of the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women and Rotary International.

Individual Sponsorship: $250 with one complimentary concert ticket and invitation to concert reception.

More information on Rotary RainLily Project and sponsorship.

Chorus members: Contact Shirley Fu at shirley@opera.org.hk for detailed schedules.

The Chorus of the Opera Society of Hong Kong sang Vivaldi's Gloria in D, RV589, and Christmas carols, and the acclaimed young violinist Huang Mengla performed Vivaldi's The Four Seasons, Op. 8, with the City Chamber Orchestra of Hong Kong. Guest conductor Johnny Poon.

Soloists: Yuki Ip, soprano; Carol Lin, mezzo-soprano.
200-member Combince Choir includes:
Wah Yan College Kowloon Boys' Choir
Diocesan Girls' School Choir
HKIEd Choir
Carmel Pak U Secondary School Choir
The Learners Chorus
The Singchronizers

Free Admission (First-come-first-served).

24 December 2006 (Sunday), 5pm, Olympic Square, Hong Kong Park.

RTHK Radio 4's "Seasons Greetings in the Park" celebrate X'mas with star violinist Huang Mengla and 300 singers and musician, RTHK Press Release, December 2006

WEBCAST at: http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/radio4/Seasons_Greetings_in_the_Park/20061224.html
or http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/tv/seasonsgreetingsinthepark/20061225.html

PHOTOS - these were taken by chorus members, friends and family members in the audience (will add more as they come in).

Concert report and audience responses in Finemusic, February 2007

The Chorus of Opera Society of Hong Kong has also sung the RTHK 4 open-air concert Messiah in the Park on Christmas eve 2005 at the Hong Kong Park.

Conductor: David Stein
Director / Producer: Lo King Man
Chorusmaster: Raymond Fu
Repetirices: Nina Yip & Arièle Zanini

The Cast
Samson:	Mark Baker		Delilah	Annie Vavrille
High Priest of Dagon:	Phillippe Fourcade		Abimelech:	Guy Bonfiglio
Old Hebrew:	Nicolas Cavallier		1st Philistine:	Herbert Tam
2nd Philistine:	Kinsen Leung		Messenger:	Andrew Goatly
Child:	Leighton Mok

Conductor:	David Stern
Chorusmaster:	Raymond Fu
Rehearsal Pianist:	Wong Kin-bong
Repetiteur:	Lily Yeung
Set Designer:	Charfi Hung
Costume Designer:	Mandy Tam
Lighting Designer:	Leo Cheung
Director & Producer:	Lo King-man

The Cast Macbeth: Gary Simpson (25, 27, 29/9) Marco Chingari (26, 28/9) ¡@ Lady Macbeth: Xiuwui Sun (25, 27, 29/9) Frabcesca Patane (26, 28/9) Banquo: Haojiang Tian ¡@ Macduff: Luigi Frattola Malcolm: Alex Tam (25, 27, 29/9) David Quah (26, 28/9) ¡@ Dama: Katusha Tsui-Fraser Medico: Pong Chung-lam Assassin: Sylvester Che

The Story

Background

The opera takes place in Scotland in the middle of the 11th century.

Act I

Scene 1

On the evening following a day of heavy fighting, Macbeth and Banquo encounter three covens of witches. They address Macbeth as Thane of Glamis and prophesy to him that he will be Thane of Cawdor and future King of Scotland. Banquo, however, will not reign but will be father to kings. The witchers then disapper. Messengers from King Duncan arrive, bringing Macbeth the news of his new title. They announce that the Thane of Cawdor has been executed for treason. Macbeth will assume his office.

Scene 2

In Macbeth's castle, through a letter from her husband, Lady Macbeth learns of the happy news. Driven by boundless ambition, she decides to do everything to secure her husband's path to power It is announced that King Duncan will spend the night in the castle. Lady Macbeth views this occasion as a welcome opportunity of spurtting on her husband to murder the King in his sleep. Macbeth hesitates but can no longer resist his wife's merciless urgings and resolves to commit the momentous crime. His conscience begins to plague him. Torturois thoughts almost drive him mad. The cold-blooded Lady Macbeth, on the other hand, has no sympathy for such pangs of conscience. On the following morning, Macduff and Banquo discover the horrible murder and immediately call together all those assembled in the castle. All, including Macbeth and his Lady, curse the unknown murderer.

Act II

Scene 1

With Duncan's death, the witches' second prophecy has been fulfilled: Macbeth is King of Scotland. But the so easily won crown soon proves to be a curshing burden: had not the witches prophesied that Banquo's offspings would bear the crown? Macbeth quickly makes up his mind to commit a further murder.

Scene 2

An assassin is hired to kill Banquo and his son, who are on their way to the castle to attend a banquet at Macbeth's invitation. The Assassin and his accomplices prepare the ambush. Banquo is murdered. His son escapes.

Scene 3

During the evening's festivities, there suddenly appears, visible only to Macbeth, the ghost of the murdered man; at this moment, Macbeth almost loses all control. Macduff, a Scottish nobleman, recognizes the truth and leaves for England. He wished to join Malcolm, Duncan's son, for the campaign against Macbeth.

Act III

Macbeth returns once again to the witches. He wishes to learn more about his fate. The prophecies prove to be cryptic: no man born of woman can harm him, and none can defeat him unless Birnam Wood moves against him. Eight specters of kings apper before Macbeth in an errie hallucination. He collapses in terror.

Act IV

Scene 1

In the country side, refugees from Scotland sing of their oppressed nation. Macduff learns of the death of his wife and children, slaughtered on Macbeth's orders. He swears vengeance.

Scene 2

Incapacitated by mental derangement, Lady Macbeth sleep-walks through the gloomy castle and tries in vain to wash away an imaginary blood stain from her hands. She finally dies insane.

Scene 3

Macbeth arms himself fot the struggle against his enemies, who are approaching the castle from Birnam Wood. The soldiers carry branches as camouflage; thus it appears as if the wood is moving toward the castle. Macbeth feels his end is near, but he is still able to go confidently into action against Macduff, the enemy leader.

Scene 4

Macduff informs Macbeth that he was not born of woman but was ripped from his mother's womb, by caesarian birth. The witches had so prophesied. Macbeth is killed in the duel. Maclcolm becomes the new King of Scotland.

The Cast
Butterfly:	Nancy Yuen (12, 14, 16/9) Xiuying Li (13, 15, 17/9)		Goro:	Alex Tam (13-14/9) David Quah (12, 15-17/9)
Pinkerton:	Ion Pojar (12, 14, 16/9) Michele Fiammardente (13, 15, 17/9)		Bonzo:	Tsui Fai (13, 15-16/9) Michael Rippon (12, 14, 17/9)
Suzuki:	Yun Deng (12, 14, 16/9) Wen Zhang (13, 15, 17/9)		Kate:	Tansy Wainwright
Shaprless:	George Mosley (12, 14-15, 17/9) Michael Rippon (13, 16/9)		Yamadori:	Sylvester Che

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra
Chorus of the Opera Society of Hong Kong
The Cecilian Singers
Diocesan Boys' School Senior Choir
William Preucil (violin)

Conductor: David Atherton
Chorusmaster: Wing-sie Yip

The Cast Violetta (Soprano): Nova Thomas (20, 22, 24/9) Myra Cordell (21, 23/9) Alfredo (Tenor): Warren Mok Germont (Baritone): Adib Fazah Flora (Mezzo-soprano): Blythe Merrifield Gastone (Tenor): Euro Nava Grevnil (Bass): Derek Anthony Douphol (Baritone): Michael Rippon Marguis (Baritone): Sylvester Che Annina (Soprano): Cindy Wong (20, 22, 24/9) Margaret Yim (21, 23/9) Giuseppe (Tenor): Bastien Tai Commissario (Baritone): Lam Ho-chi Servo (Tenor): Wong Chi-cheun Repetiteurs: Anna Chan Gordon Kember Peter Lally The Opera Society of Hong Kong Chorusmaster: Raymond Fu The Hong Kong Ballet Choreographer: Bruce Steivel The Hong Kong Sinfonietta Conductor: Paul Nadler (20, 22, 24/9) Long Yu (21, 23/9)

The Story

Act I

Opens in a salon in Violetta' house, where she is giving a party. Her friend Gastone arrives with Alfredo, and tells her that Alfredo has for some time been in love with her. Alfredo then sings a lively drinking song.

As the guests proceed to the ballroom to dance, Violetta is seized by a fit of coughing. Alfredo, who has stayed behind, speaks of his love for her. Violetta tells Alfredo that what she seeks is not love but pleasure, but she promises to see him the next day.

After the guests have departed, Violetta, alone and contemplative, sings of how her heart has been touched by Alfredo's love. But she ends with the brilliant "Semprelibera..." as if to discard the softer emotions.

Act II

Scene 1

Opens a few months later, when Violetta has abandoned her former life and is living with Alfredo in a country house outside Paris. Alfredo enters and sings of his joy in life with Violetta. His joy is short-lived, however, when he learns from the maid Annina that Violetta has been selling her jewellery to meet the costs of upkeep of the house. He rushes off to try to raise the money himself.

Violetta comes in. She has received an invitation from her former friend Flora to a party that night, but she laughs at the idea of returning to her former life. Just then, an unexpected visitor arrives. It is Germont, Alfredo's father. Germont begs her to leave Alfredo, not only to save Alfredo from ruin, but because the continued relationship will harm the marriage prospects of his sister.

Violetta at first refuses Germont's request, but as he continues to plead, she finally makes the agonising decision to give up Alfredo. Left alone, Violetta writes to Flora accepting her invitation, then begins a letter to Alfredo. Before she has finished it, Alfredo arrives to tell her his father is coming to see him. Violetta, pretending to leave so as not to interrupt father and son, tells Alfredo how much she loves him and then departs. A servant hands Alfredo a note; it is Violetta's farewell letter, telling him that she is returning to her former life. At that moment, Germont returns, just in time to console his son as he realises the implications of the letter.

Scene 2

Takes place in the same evening, at Flora's party. It opens with a group of gypsies singing and dancing, then Gastone and his friends arrive dressed up as matadors. Alfredo arrives alone. Violetta appears soon afterwards, escorted by Baron Douphol. The two men play at cards for high states and Alfredo wins. When all the guests retire to the adjoining room for the banquet, Violetta has a chance to speak to Alfredo. She begs him to leave, saying the Baron is a dangerous adversary. When Alfredo replies that it is the Baron she fears for, Violetta, remembering her promise to Germont, agrees that she does indeed love the Baron. At that, Alfredo throws open the doors to the banquet room and calls for all to come. He tells them of Violetta's betrayal and says he will pay back every penny she spent on him. He throws at her the purse containing his winnings from the gaming table.

Germont arrives to witness the scene, but can do nothing except rebuke his son for his shameless behaviour.

Act III

It is set in Violetta's bedroom, she is seriously ill with tuberculosis. The doctor arrives and tries to cheer her with hope of a speedy recovery. But to Annina he reveals that Violetta is dying. Left alone, Violetta reads again a letter from Germont telling her that Alfredo now knows of her sacrifice. He has been sent for to come as quickly as possible. Violetta, however, realises she is near death.

Returning from the carnival in the street below, Annina excitedly tells Violetta that she has seen Alfredo. He arrives and they sing of a happy future together. Violetta is once again in the arms of her lover - but it is too late; death has come to La Traviata ("the fallen woman").

The Story

The setting in Cyprus in the mid-sixteenth century, when the island was under the rule of the Republic of Venice. Otello, a Moorish general in the Venetian army, was the governor. He had recently promoted Cassio as captain. For that, his ensign Iago hates him bitterly while pretending to be loyal and honest. Roderigo, a Venetian gentleman who nurtured a secret love for Otello's wife Desdemona, had followed her to Cyprus. The opera begins with a raging storm at night.

Act I

Otello returns from battle and his ship arrives as the tempest subsides. He is greeted by a cheering crowd as he announces his victory over the Turks. Iago sets out to plot his vengeance by making Cassio drunk and inciting Roderigo to proboke a brawl, in which a senior officer, Montano, was wounded. Otello at once restores peace and in his anger dismisses Cassio. Left alone, Otello and Desdemona tenderly recall their courtship in a profound expression of love and happiness.

Act II

Iago advises Cassio to seek Desdemona's help in regaining Otello's favour. Then, alone, he proclaims his belief in a cruel god of evil who inspires his hatred and malignity. With Otello, Iago succeeds in arousing his suspicions of Desdemona's faithfulness with casual hints of her intimate relationship with Cassio. When indeed Desdemona comes to plead for Cassio's pardon, Otello becomes distraught. Fearing he is ill, she tries to soothe his brow with the handkerchief which is his first gift of love. This he throws to the ground and is picked up by Emilia, Iago's wife and Desdemona's lady-in-waiting. From Emilia's hand, Iago snatches that handkerchief away. Otello orders the women to leave, and Iago poisons his mind further by describing how he heard Cassio call Desdemona's name in his dream and saw her handkerchief in his hand. Frantic with rage, Otello swears revenge.

Act III

Iago assures Otello of more proof of Desdemona's guilt and leaves as he sees her approaching. When Otello demands the handkerchief, Desdemona again pleads for Cassio's reinstatement. He calls her a courtesan and forces her out. Alone, Otello bewails his misery. He hides as Iago returns with Cassio engaged in a light-hearted conversation. Eavesdropping at a distance, Otello believes Cassio to be talking about Desdemona. Iago cleverly flashes her handkerchief for him to see. Thereupon Otello resolves to kill his wife that night. The ambassador Lodovico arrives to announce the ruling Council's decision to recall Otello to Venice and the appointment of Cassio as the new governor. Otello loses control and strikes Desdemona. Having rudely dismissed the courtiers, he collapses in fit.

Act IV

Desdemona sings the willow song, about a forsaken maiden. She bids Emilia good night, says her prayers and retires to bed. Otello comes in, and his kiss awakens her. Without hearing her protestations of innocence, he suffocates her. Emilia knocks and cries for help. Before Lodovico, Cassio and others, she reveals Iago's treachery. Otello realises his tragedy and stabs himself, dying upon one final kiss on the chaste Desdemona.